In the winter of 2022, a 17-year-old girl named Keyaira Rattray-Brothers from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, lost her life in a sudden act of violence. A student at Independence High School in Midtown with dreams of becoming an R&B and gospel singer, her life was cut short on the night of December 5th. She was in Crown Heights when she was fatally shot in the chest at the Kingsborough Houses and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The young woman's death was part of a wider,
violent spree that shook the city. The man authorities identified as the suspect, 28-year-old Sundance Oliver, was already on parole for robbery and had a history of prior arrests. His alleged rampage across Brooklyn and Manhattan also resulted in the death of 21-year-old Kevon Langston and the wounding of a 96-year-old man in a wheelchair. Investigators believe Oliver knew both of the victims he is accused of killing, though the specific motive for the shootings remains unclear.
Following an extensive manhunt by the NYPD, Sundance Oliver turned himself in to the police at a Brooklyn precinct on the morning of December 6th. He faced numerous charges, including murder, robbery, and assault. The tragic loss left Keyaira's family heartbroken. Her mother expressed her profound grief, stating, 'I just want to tell her I love her and to hold her and be there for her, but I can't because somebody took that away from me.' Her father remembered her as a smart, funny, and energetic young woman who loved to sing and dance.
